Chair

ABSTRACT

A one-piece stackable chair having a skirtlike frustum for supporting the elements of the chair, a seat formed integrally with the front of the frustum and extending toward the rear, and a curved back in front of the rear of the frustum and depending from the top of the frustum.

United States Patent [72] Inventors George Parmett Seaiord; George Schmidt, Douglaston, both of, N.Y. [21] Appl. No. 61,340 [22] Filed Aug. 5, 1970 [45] Patented Sept. 14, 1971 [73] Assignee APL Corporation Brooklyn, N.Y.

[54] CHAIR 6 Claims, 4 Drawing Figs.

[52] US. Cl 297/239, 297/445, 297/D1G. 2 [5 I Int. Cl A47c 3/04 [50] Field of Search 297/239,

457, DIG. 2, 445, 461; 108/91 [56] References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,419,838 4/1947 James 297/239 2,699,814 1/1955 Kahn 297/239 2,703,135 3/1955 Leatherman 297/239 2,936,826 5/1960 Reineman 297/239 X 2,993,733 7/1961 Pinkham 297/D1Gv 2 3,285,660 11/1966 Beckman et a1. 297/239 X 3,459,449 8/1969 Klausen 297/239 Primary ExaminerFrancis K. Zugel AttorneyBrumbaugh, Graves, Donohue & Raymond ABSTRACT: A one-piece stackable chair having a skirtlike frustum for supporting the elements of the chair, a seat formed integrally with the front of the frustum and extending toward the rear, and a curved back in front of the rear of the frustum and depending from the top of the frustum.

CHAIR This invention relates to a one-piece chair of novel design which imparts exceptional strength to the chair.

The chair of the present invention is made of a continuum of material of relatively uniform thickness and comprising a hollow, open-bottomed skirtlike frustum having a lower edge which engages the floor, a seat formed integrally with the front of the frustum and extending upwardly substantially above the seat, and a curved back depending from the upper end of the back of the frustum, the curved back extending forwardly on both sides to form arms and the forwardly extending portions of said curved back being integrally connected with the sides of the seat for the support of the seat.

In the preferred embodiment the chair is stackable in nested relationship for ease and convenience in storage. Toward this end, the frustum tapers outwardly toward the base and the interior surfaces of the chair are preferably shaped generally complementary to the exterior surfaces to pennit the chairs to be stacked. Also, the lower edge of the back is preferably separated from the rear edge of the seat, for example, by providing a cut away portion therebetween, to decrease the weight of the chair and to increase the flexibility of the seat and the back.

The chair of the present invention achieves its strength and required rigidity from its unique design and does not require reinforcing elements, double thicknesses or reinforcing struts, ribs or webs of any kind.

For a complete understanding of the present invention reference can be made to the description which follows and to the accompanying drawings in which:

FIG. 1 is a perspective view showing the front of the chair;

FIG. 2 is a perspective view showing the rear of the chair;

FIG. 3 is a front elevational view; and

FIG. 4 is a cross-sectional view taken along the line 4-4 of FIG. 3, looking the the direction of the arrows.

The one-piece chair of the present invention includes a hollow, open bottom, skirtlike frustum for supporting the elements of the chair, a seat 1 1 formed integrally with the front of the frustum and extending toward the rear, and a curved back 12 integrally connected with and depending in front of the top of the rear portion of the frustum. The lower edge 13 of the frustum curves outwardly and engages the floor.

The curved back 12 is spaced apart from and in front of the rear portion of the frustum, and it extends forwardly on both sides. The forwardly extending portions of the curved back are integrally connected at 14 with the sides of the seat 11 for the support of the seat. The portions of the chair connecting the forwardly extending portions of the curved back with the skirtlike frustum provide arms 15 for the chair.

An elongated opening 16 is provided between the lower edge of the back 12 and the rear edge of the seat 11 to reduce the weight of the chair and to increase the flexibility of the seat and the back for greater comfort.

Relatively large openings 17 are provided in the frustum on opposite sides of the seat for aesthetic purposes, but also to decrease the weight of the chair and to facilitate the handling thereof. A smaller opening 18 is also provided in the rear of the frustum near the upper edge thereof for the same purpose. A leg opening defined by an edge 19 is formed in the front part of the frustum at the base thereof.

The chair is molded in one piece, preferably of a plastic material which is sufficiently rigid to insure that the chair will have adequate strength and sufficient flexibility for greater comfort. Polypropylene is a material which affords a satisfactory balance between rigidity and flexibility.

The frustum 10 is tapered, flaring outwardly toward the lower edge or base, and the back 12 slopes away from the frustum in the downward direction. Also, the shape of the interior of the chair is generally complementary to the shape of the exterior so that the chairs can be stacked in nested relationship, as shown in FIG. 4. A semirigid cushioning pad 20, of for example, polyfoam or expanded styrene, IS accommodated in the upper region of the chair between the frustum and the back to prevent the stacked chairs from becoming wedged together and to make it easier to separate them.

The armchair of the present invention derives its strength and stability, inter alia, from the shape of the more or less conical frustum with which both the seat and back are integrally connected and from which they are both supported in a manner which affords sufficient flexibility for greater comfort.

The invention has been shown in preferred form and by way of example only, and obviously many variations and modifications may be made therein without departing from the spirit of the invention. The invention, therefore, is not to be limited to any specified form or embodiment, except insofar as such limitations are set forth in the claims.

I claim:

1. A one-piece chair made of a continuum of material of relatively uniform thickness comprising a hollow, skirtlike frustum having a lower edge engaging the floor, a seat formed integrally with the front of the frustum and extending toward the rear, the rear and side portions of the frustum extending upwardly substantially above the seat, a curved back spaced apart from the rear portion of the frustum and connected integrally together at the upper ends thereof, said curved back extending forwardly on both sides, the forwardly extending portions of said curved back being integrally connected with the sides of the said seat.

2. A chair as set forth in claim 1 including a separation between the lower edge of the curved back and the rear edge of the seat to increase the flexibility of the seat.

3. A chair as set forth in claim 1 in which the frustum flares outwardly toward the base and the interior surfaces of the chair are generally complementary to the exterior surfaces to permit the chairs to be stacked in nested relationship.

4. A chair as set forth in claim 1 including openings in the skirt on opposite sides of the seat to decrease the weight of the chair and to facilitate the handling thereof.

5. A chair as set forth in claim 1 including connections between the forwardly extending portions of the back and the frustum forming arms for the chair.

6. A chair as set forth in claim 3 including cushioning means intermediate the back and the frustum to prevent stacked chairs from becoming wedged together. 

1. A one-piece chair made of a continuum of material of relatively uniform thickness comprising a hollow, skirtlike frustum having a lower edge engaging the floor, a seat formed integrally with the front of the frustum and extending toward the rear, the rear and side portions of the frustum extending upwardly substantially above the seat, a curved back spaced apart from the rear portion of the frustum and connected integrally together at the upper ends thereof, said curved back extending forwardly on both sides, the forwardly extending portions of said curved back being integrally connected with the sides of the said seat.
 2. A chair as set forth in claim 1 including a separation between the lower edge of the curved back and the rear edge of the seat to increase the flexibility of the seat.
 3. A chair as set forth in claim 1 in which the frustum flares outwardly toward the base and the interior surfaces of the chair are generally complementary to the exterior surfaces to permit the chairs to be stacked in nested relationship.
 4. A chair as set forth in claim 1 including openings in the skirt on opposite sides of the seat to decrease the weight of the chair and to facilitate the handling thereof.
 5. A chair as set forth in claim 1 including connections between the forwardly extending portions of the back and the frustum forming arms for the chair.
 6. A chair as set forth in claim 3 including cushioning means intermediate the back and the frustum to prevent stacked chairs from becoming wedged together. 